Call for Proposals: Innovative Financing and Funding Review

The UK Humanitarian Innovation Hub (UKHIH) and Elrha are inviting proposals for a new piece of work exploring innovative financing and funding models for humanitarian research and innovation (HRI).

We are seeking a consultant or research partner to map and analyse financing mechanisms from other sectors, assess their potential for the humanitarian context, and develop practical recommendations and pilot options. The findings will help UKHIH, Elrha, and the wider sector identify sustainable ways to strengthen and diversify investment in HRI.

Key information

• Deadline for submissions: 23:59 (UK time), 29 August 2025
• Maximum budget: £45,000 GBP

What are we looking for?

The selected provider will:

1. Map current HRI funding instruments.
2. Identify and assess financing models from adjacent sectors (e.g. health, climate, development).
3. Produce case studies of promising approaches.
4. Analyse feasibility for application in humanitarian contexts, including governance and equity considerations.
5. Design a prototype assessment tool to help funders evaluate model suitability.
6. Develop 2–3 pilotable concepts with indicative parameters.
7. Provide a final synthesis report with actionable recommendations and a roadmap.

We expect the work to be collaborative, inclusive, and ethical, with input from a dedicated working group of peer organisations.

Who can apply?

This call is open to organisations worldwide, including private sector, non-profit, and academic institutions.

Applicants must be legally registered with a relevant institution.

Consortium or subcontracting arrangements are not sought for this commission.

Proposals must demonstrate expertise in innovative financing, strong analytical and synthesis skills, familiarity with humanitarian systems, and experience engaging diverse stakeholders.

Award timeline

• Start date: September 2025
• End date: January 2026
• Duration: approx. 4–5 months

How to apply

The deadline for submissions is 23:59 (UK time) on 29 August 2025.

Proposals must include:

• Technical proposal (max. 6 pages)
• Cost structure proposal (Excel format)
• Signed certificates and assurances (templates provided)
• Organisational information questionnaire
• Any supporting documents (e.g. case studies or prior work)

Please send your proposal by email to:

information@ukhih.org and bidsandproposals@elrha.org

Subject line: Call for Proposals – Innovative Financing and Funding Review – [Organisation name]

Questions

Clarification questions can be submitted up to 3 working days before the deadline to information@ukhih.org and bidsandproposals@elrha.org

Subject line: QUERY – Call for Proposals – Innovative Financing and Funding Review – [Organisation name]

Key resources